Business
Nigeria update: Uneasy calm after strike is suspended
An uneasy calm returned to Nigeria’s cities Tuesday, a day after two Nigerian labor groups suspended their nationwide strike over the elimination of the country’s fuel subsidy.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) cited successes gained by demonstrators, including an announcement Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan slashing fuel prices, as they suspended the strikes.
In Lagos, the country’s commercial center, vehicles thronged the streets Tuesday but traffic was still at lower than normal levels.
Many gas stations displayed a price of 97 naira (US$ 0.6) per liter, the new price announced by the government Monday. The protests began earlier this month after fuel that had cost about 65 naira (US$ 0.4) shot up to 141 naira (US$ 0.86) when the subsidy was removed.
Announcing the revised price Monday, Jonathan cited “the hardships being suffered by Nigerians.”
